When CJ and I went to Liverpool in August Cj showed me Liverpool One: a 42 acre (170,000 m²) redevelopment of underutilised land in Liverpool city centre. It is a retail led development, anchored by department stores Debenhams and John Lewis, with additional elements including leisure facilities (anchored by a 14-screen Odeon cinema and 36-hole adventure golf centre), apartments, offices, public open space and transport improvements. The completion of Liverpool ONE has significantly boosted the local economy as well as lifted Liverpool into the top five most popular retail destinations in the UK. Liverpool ONE is the largest open air shopping centre in the United Kingdom and the 10th largest overall. Despite all this I wasn't overly impressed with the fact that much of the retail sector was open to the elements. Like them or loathe them covered malls are much more comfortable places to spend a day without having to go from freezing wind-swept open air wearing winter clothes to hot shop wearing those same clothes.
However there were some lovely open spaces including this charming water feature:
I like that water feature very much! I bet it's a big hit with the kids.
ReplyDeleteI remember Debenham's! They have one in Eastbourne! You are making me want to jump on a plane! (After enduring security lines, of course.)
It seemed to be a big hit with everyone Kay but it was generally the kids that were the most involved with trying to get wet.
DeleteEspecially since my niece has begun studying Egyptology at Liverpool uni in September last year, I find such information about the place very interesting. I can just imagine her and her friends going to Liverpool ONE. On the first picture on the top left corner I can see a sign "Bierkeller"...
ReplyDeleteThe Victoria Building of Liverpool Uni was the original 'Redbrick' University. Liverpool Uni has some excellent faculties and used to have (I assume it still does have) some excellent facilities too. Many happy (?!) hours have I spent in the Cohen and Arts Libraries studying. Unfortunately I wasn't able to spend as many hours in the Students Union (the social centre of student life) as I might have wished to do.
DeleteI have only been in a Mall once. That was once too often. I wonder how often the water feature gets treated to a packet of soap powder?
ReplyDeleteIf I have to shop then I rather like malls Adrian. Comfy, warm places.
DeleteCharming. Bit like Manchester really.
ReplyDeleteWhere do they keep their sheeps anyway?
Andrea the sheeps are kept in tall blocks called 'flats' out in outlying areas. Or were you referring to the four-legged variety? They have more sense than to live there.
DeleteThat' a pretty impressive place....I like open spaces, but I see your point about not being covered especially in winter.
ReplyDeleteWhen I saw the water feature I just KNEW that some kids would be nearby. I can see myself running or hopping across it just for fun.
The whole development is potentially impressive Virginia but somehow the layout didn't click with me. I'm not convinced that it will all stand the test of time or, in modern parlance, that it is future-proofed. The open spaces were, however, great and fully utilised and one wouldn't expect them to be used much in the winter anyway.
DeleteThis looks great to me - at least on a sunny day. (On days when rain falls from above as well, perhaps one is not so impressed by water coming up from the ground too?) I'm not really used to huge covered shopping malls, and they tend to make me tired rather quickly. In our town centre most shops have their entrances from the open streets - the biggest "mall" there only houses five shops... Across town there is another shopping centre but even that is not all under one roof.
ReplyDeleteIn the 'olden days' of course most town centre shops in the UK simply had their entrances onto the street Monica. Now, however, where many shops are gathered together in a new development there is cover and relative warmth so that one doesn't have to have full winter clothing on which has to be discarded or carried when one enters every over-heated shop. I like malls I have to admit. In a cold climate it gives one the ambience and warmth of a street in, say, Napier with it's street café culture.
DeleteTo me that seems to presuppose also arriving by car and being able to park in direct connection to the mall... Walking or going by bus as I always do, I need full winter clothing anyway - so actually prefer to get outside in between shops! Have to admit though, that this is one reason why I prefer to get most of my clothes-shopping done before the real cold sets in (not to have to peel layers of clothing on and off in the changing rooms).
DeleteHmmm. Mall vs. traditional high street shops... Definitely depends on the weather. Whichever I choose, I still don't usually find the two things I crave: Lest choice so my mind doesn't explode trying to make a decision, and the same friendly face behind the counter, who remembers me from last time.
DeleteLest = less.
DeleteThat is a very fair point about non-car users Monica. I think we, in the UK, have generally become so used to being a nation of car users that that is one of the primary focuses of the retail sector. However thinking about, for example, the large retail park at Braehead near Glasgow that is exceptionally well served by busses but when people get there they can shop in the main mall without getting wet.
DeleteThe two things you crave (as do I) Katherine are rarely found in large shops these days anyway. You've given me an idea for a post though. As for mind-exploding choices I'm afraid that's all part of our consumerism mentality.
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